DROWNING IN YOU // Rafe Cameron

2

    I watched carefully through the car window as we passed through town on the way to our house. It looked the same, yet different. A few new shops had popped up, but Heyward's store and The Wreck were still up, causing a rush of nostalgia through me. I thought about the days where my Dad would bring hope shrimp and clams for dinner as I sat in the living room playing Barbie's with Sarah. The gorgeous Cameron household came into view, and I could see that Sarah's light was on, not a doubt in my mind she was searching for a swimsuit for tonight. As soon as we passed Sarah's residence, my own appeared. The light grey siding and large windows still the same as we left it, especially since no one had been living in it. I'm positive my mother had the housekeepers regularly dust and clean it though. We pulled into the drive way and I heard the waves crashing in my backyard the second I opened the car door. I snagged Jesse from the back of my Dad's large Escalade, and joined my family with her leash in hand.

    "Hell yeah! The Dawson's are back in this hoe!" My brother spoke up and we walked to the front door.

    'Carter! Language! The Miller's just had a baby, you need to keep your voice down." My mother scolded as we all laughed.

    "Oh come on, the thing won't even be able to repeat the term "hoe" until it's like 4 or something." Carter sassed, earning an eye-roll from everyone. I opened the door and took off Jesse's leash as she ran around the entry way. I recognized the car-key bowl from our Georgia house, something my mom found at an antique store. I looked around at the while walls, most having family portraits and a few of Carter's graduation photos hung on them. The wood floor glowed as the mooight shined through the large windows that framed our backyards. I hadn't been here in years, yet it felt the same as it did the day we left. From the staircase to the second floor, to the dining room furnished with decorative plates only used on special occasions, the house felt untouched. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I was standing inside of it.

    "I'm going to take a bath and get tucked in. Don't disturb me until the sun rises. And please don't be too late tonight okay? I want you both home before 3, got it?" My mom preached. She hated flying almost as much as she hated the ferry. "Too loud, too many people, not enough wine," the list goes on. She was a simple woman, loved to read and garden, but also to have a lavender bath with a glass of Domaine de Marcoux. I had no doubt that the wine cooler was fully stocked and the bath was prepped for her.

    "I'm going to make a call to you grandparents to let them know we are here safely, then I will be ordering takeout from the Wreck and watching The Hangover in the movie room if you need me." My father replied as he dialed his parents on his phone and kissed my head goodbye. Since we had already explained we were going to Topper's, my brother and I parted ways to our bedrooms to get ready.

    My room was the same as before, white bedding with pink pillows and throw blankets, while my walls had framed pictures of my life before the mainland, numerous shells, a large mirror next to my closet, and my drapes covering the door to my small balcony, over looking the backyard and ocean. I went to the dresser in my closet and rummaged through it, searching for a bikini before I finally decided on a blue and white zebra print one. I quickly traded my sweat shorts and large t-shirt for the swimsuit and a pair of jean shorts before throwing on a cropped Chapel Hill shirt and my Birkenstocks. Good enough I thought to myself. I let my hair lay free as I shuffled downstairs to meet Carter in the kitchen. He had a pack of Natty Light accompanying him at the island counter as he ate out of a container of Oreos.

    "What a healthy young man you are." I spoke as he put his phone into the pocket of his blue swim trunks.

    "Okay miss large iced white mocha and chocolate cake pop for breakfast." He snapped back as he picked up the thirty-rack of beer.